THAMES COUNTY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13096, 8 February 1906, Page 7

THAMES COUNTY COUNCIL.

[Br TELEGRAPH, —OWN' CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Wednesday. The monthly meeting of the Thames County Council took place to-day, and was presided over by the chairman (Mr. R. W. Bagnall). Tenders foi road works were opened and dealt with as follows: Kauaeranga Valley (reforming and metalling), J. W. Rickit, £30 (accepted); C. Short, £99 4s. Tapu Creek (metalling), J. McMahon, £36 lis 6d (accepted); J. W. Rickit, £36 lis 6d. Matatoke (stone shingle), A. K. Maxwell, £60 (accepted); ,1. W. Kickit, £63 15s. Kauaeranga Valley (removing bluff), Ruzick and Walker, £59 16s (accepted); Maxwell and Walters, £69 14s; P. Maxwell, £48 ss; J. )v. Rickit, £40. Xeavesville to Upper Landing (rough metalling), the tender of N. McLean, £120, being the only one received, was accepted. A letter was received from Mr. »I._ Stevenson, on behalf of the Champion Gold Mining Company, asking thai the road to that, company s mine he constructed, and enclosing a Jotter from the Minister for Mines, to the effect that the sum of £250 was available for this work. The matter was referred to the engineer for a report. A reply was received from tho Chief Engineer of the Roads D?partment, regarding a grant for the Thames-Coromandel Road, and suggesting that the Council apply to the Minister for Mines for a grant from the roads on goldfields vote. A letter was received from Mr. R. Cox, drawing attention .to the impassable state of the footpaths at Kopu. The Chief Engineer for Roads Department wrote _ for information as to whether the Council were prepared to expend the vote of £300 for the Hikutaia bridge. The chairman pointed out that the sum voted was not sufficient to complete the work, and the question arose as to how the funds were to be obtained for its completion if gone 011 with. There was also divided opinion between the Thames and Ohinemuri County Councils as to the adoption of either the No. 3 or No. 4 road, and as the Thames Council had adopted the No. 4 road, and the Ohinemuri Council the No. 3 road, the latter body were not disposed to give any assistance. It was resolved to write to the Department asking that, the amount be increased. •

A sum of £20 (as recommended by the engineer) was authorised to be spent on making a track to the Kirikiri mine. In response to an application from the secretary of the Thames Drainage Board for contributions to that body, it was stated that the Council had decided to contribute £150 for tlue year. A letter was received from the Mines Department, to the effect that the Minister had approved of a subsidy of £15 as assistance to prospecting to It. A. Plummer, to assist him in driving a tunnel 100 ft at the Sheridan mine, Tapu, payment to be made through the Council on the certificate of the inspector of mines.

A discussion took place regarding repairs to three half-chain roads in the Onriahu district, and the chairman suggested that as there was a Question of the legality of spending money on roads less than a chain in width, an attempt should be made by the Council to get this restriction removed, as . the expense of increasing the width of these roads would be groat, and the money would be more advantageously expended iii actual road work, it was eventually resolved to send a letter to the residents of the district, suggesting that they should give the necessary land on each side of these roads to increase the width to one chain, and agree to a special rate being struck for the construction of the roads, in which case the Council would undertake the work.

The engineer was instructed to report on the cost of a concrete water-table in Rolles-ton-street, between Richmond and Sealey Streets, and to call for tenders for the lease of the Council's quarries at Totara and Matatoke.

The question of the ferry service across the Thames River was discussed, and tlie matter resolved itself into a question of the. best site, the Council being divided in opinion as to the site recommended by' the engineer, at, Kopu, and the one recommended by Mr. Wilson at. the Matatoke Road. It was eventually resolved that the engineer be instructed to report on the latter site, and furnish full particulars as to cost of construction. The Council expressed themselves unanimously of opinion that the ferry service, or a bridge was necessary, but as the Government had refused to grant more than £750 towards the work the. question was mainly one of finance.